Dead Like Fern
by Sheigo
Summary: Fern becomes a Grim Reaper Bad description I know
1. Chapter 1

Dead like Fern

Authors note: A dead like me parody. Not sure how rushed this chapter is, released due to myself suffering writers block withBuster and the Donut Seeds.

* * *

Fern was walking to school, she seemed to be happy with the way her life was going, but not all was perfect; she was hit by a car, police tapered off the area, her ribs were damaged, her organs were obviously damaged and she was suffering from internal bleeding as she lay motionless on the side of the road. 

Sue Ellen screamed in horror, she fell to her knees raised her arms and yelled, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she had run up to Fern as she slowly closed her eyes.

Fern's spirit had drifted out of her body, she had seen the extent damage done to her body, blood was seeping from the scraps, and cuts, "Am I dead?" asked the poodle girl nervously; as she turned around a black cloaked unknown species of anthropomorphic man was there standing as he was almost expecting her.

"I am death, Fern; it is too early for you to 'cross-over', but the extent of the damage done that when the car had hit you was phenomenal, you will be in more pain if I send you back."

Fern was shocked seeing Sue Ellen pacing in horror and shock, "What?"

The cloaked man explained a bit more, "Essentially, now before I send you to Heaven or Hell, you are to get the souls."

Fern's quick and onlyquestion was, "Like a Grim Reaper?"

The mysterious black robbed figure whom wasweaing a cloak over his head snapped his fingers and Fern's outfit turned into a black robbed cloak outfit; a scythe had mysteriously appeared in her hand, "Now go."

Fern had more questions, she of course was apprehensive of doing this, leaving her friends behind just to send people to the other side, "But, what if someone sees me?"

"They won't… Unless I give you instructions to."

"What about the facts that if I collect souls, I will have to partake in getting people I know?"

The figure sighed, "It is often the hardest part of the job; you will need to do it sometimes, you will need to collect the soul of Carl Manino, it is going to be a la heart attack."

Fern said nothing but lowered her head and picked up the scythe, she knew what she had to do.

"A warning though, if you disobey me, I will send you to hell, or send you back in a different person's body… I will think of something probably send you back, now go." the cloaked figured commented in a dark tone, then asked, Are you ready or do you got any more questions?"

Fern of course had more questions and the cloaked figure sighed.

* * *

Back on Earth, Sue Ellen was mourning the death of her friend, she was in more ways in was shocked, traumatized as she witnessed it and she hadn't spoke of this since it happened, no one could get through to her. She wasn't talking about it that it had traumatized her that much. 

Mr. Ratburn was starting to find it a problem, he had sighed and took her out of the classroom, "Sue Ellen, I know you are affected by this and I think you should go home."

Sue Ellen didn't say a single word as they both walked down to the principals' office; she had sat outside the office on a bench, when her parents came they has taken her home, all her mother said was, "Fern's funeral is going to be in two days."

Her house wasn't too far from the school, and the Armstrong family was home in about seven minutes to be exact, When Sue Ellen got inside the house, she had run to her room and she wrote in her diary.

_Dear diary, why did she have to leave this world so early? Why couldn't the car hit me instead?_

As Sue Ellen continued writing, Fern's ghost watched Sue Ellen in her emotional pain, the cat girl was still not talking she hadn't talked all day, not a single word.

* * *

Friday had quickly come, Sue Ellen hadn't been in school on Thursday… nor Friday due to the funeral and to the fact that she _still _wasn't talking. Her mother knew very well that her emotional wounds will take a while to heal. 

At the funeral Sue Ellen was in her Sunday's best, she had seen the lifeless body of Fern in the casket; a tear had streamed down her right cheek as she was going to say a final goodbye to her friend.

However on the 'other side' Fern as the soul collector was starting to be a pain in a butt for Death, "Just go already! He is overdue."

"But…" Fern replied innocently with puppy dog eyes, "If I… how should I put it nicely? Kill him, what'll happen to the Sugar Bowl?"

Death had just about enough, he had raised his scythe, "A family member will take it over, now go!"

Fern sighed as she went towards a door and found Mr. Manino in the Sugar Bowl, however he couldn't see her, she had followed the directions that her counterpart had given and she touched his chest. Within moments, Mr. Manino's eyes had turned wide as he clutched his chest; he had fallen on the floor as the heart attack was taking its course. Within moments he lay on the floor, Fern wasn't sure if she did it right, she didn't see his spirit drift out, she just left but something was telling her he didn't die from the heart attack, this was due to the fact that she didn't really have any formal training in being a soul collector.

To Be Continued.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Anything italicized after the second appearance of SE is what she writes.

* * *

The cloaked figure was not impressed Fern's first soul to collect and flat out failure, "You failed; there is nothing to this job I been doing this long enough to know when someone or something hasn't died."

Fern was being on the defensive, "I thought I completed it-," but she was interrupted.

"No, he survived you are making it seem that the rules of death need not apply," then he thought of a suggestion, "Plants; we are going to test it on plants."

Fern of course knew where this was going, "Touch a plant and watch it wither up and die?"

"You got it, and this time I am going to watch you, once I can trust you, you can go on your own, and we will try again, firstly and foremost you will recieve assignments by me and you collect them," they had both went to the community garden by portal.

Fern was struggling to kill some plants; she had killed a tomato plant and a few marigold flowers. The flowers had withered up and died, the tomato plant started to dry up and the leaves blew away in the wind. She was a bit shocked and saddened after a few of the plants she had toughed died in her hands.

Across the street Arthur and his friends were mourning the loss of their classmate. Buster had seemed indifferent on the subject; Muffy was a bit upset that she was crying; Arthur and his were close to the community garden, "Life is totally unfair."

Buster finally chimed in with not as much talking, "I know she was report partner," Her crying had stopped, and everyone just looked at him, he seemed a bit nervous with what he said, "What?"

"That is pretty rude," Arthur grumbled sadly knowing he probably wouldn't see her again.

Fern was… or in other words continuing a pitiful attempt to kill some plants, she had heard her classmates talk about her, in particular Buster; he started to whine, which was sometimes common of him, "But she had the best stuff, I am just going to fail and be like Binky."

Fern grumbled under her breath, Buster of course wasn't respecting the dead, he didn't understand what happened and why it happened, "We will see how he likes it when I start haunting him."

The reaper was looking for Fern and found her listening to the conversation, "Must I keep an eye on you constantly? You are wandering again."

Fern wasn't too impressed as she saw Buster argue with his friends, "Leave me be I am going to give him a good haunting."

He had sighed again, and grumbled under his breath, "Worse grim reaper ever."

* * *

At the cemetery, Fern (her physical body) was being laid to rest, Mrs. Armstrong was a bit concerned, Fern's parents were crying over the loss, Sue Ellen was saddened by this, not crying just saddened. 

"I can't believe she is gone," Mrs. Walters cried as Mr. Walters had hugged her.

As all had paid her last respects, and went Sue Ellen managed to find a piece of paper in the nearby church, she had written, 'mom can I just stay here for a while?'

"Sure," Mrs. Armstrong replied as she walked towards the car with Mr. Armstrong, Sue Ellen had walked back to the memorial, while Mrs. Armstrong was a bit concerned, "I think we need to send her to a doctor, she may have lost her voice."

Sue Ellen had prayed, as something supernatural was happening, she had slipped into unconsciousness.

When she had awaken it was all white around her, Fern was wearing her normal clothes, "Sue Ellen, thanks for visiting."

A tear flowed down her cheek, "I miss you."

"I know you do, I am working as a grim reaper right now, but I am going to try and find my way back to the living world." Fern had turned around and saw the older Grim Reaper waiting standing by a portal, she had whispered into the cat girl's ear, "I know you are sad, and traumatized and aren't talking, I will do what I can to get back."

Sue Ellen had soon awaken from the supernatural phenomenon, her thoughts exactly were, 'I communicated with her…' she had walked home, but on her way home, she had ran into Arthur and his friends.

"So, still upset?" Arthur asked curiously.

The Brain was taking strong notice with Sue Ellen not talking, "Aside from that; forgive me, but I think Sue Ellen had lost her vocal capacity, she hadn't talked in three days, and people can lose their voice for years even."

Buster gave a response with some interest, "Really?"

Francine turned around peeved at the tone of voice Buster used, "You are mean Buster Baxter."

Sue Ellen just walked pass them saying nothing of course. Prunella had looked on but put in her few cents, "I wouldn't be surprised if Fern had decided to haunt you."

"What would she do?" Buster asked.

As Buster had said that, a cold northerly wind swept through and Buster was shocked.

Prunella smiled at Buster as he felt a little bit insecure, "With that she may go after you, one thing is that you must respect the dead."

Buster was puzzled, "Why?"

Prunella just laughed and warned, "Don't come crying to me if Fern haunts you."

Buster was nervous now... Real nervous he figured with the rude remarks earlier anything could and will probably happen.

* * *

As Monday came, Sue Ellen decided to get dressed for school, she was going, despite what her mother was saying about taking her to the doctor, she wrote. 

_I am fine, let me go to school._

Mrs. Armstrong looked at her blankly, "I will call the doctor, today."

Sue Ellen smiled at her and she decided to walk to school, it was the first day back since Friday. When she settled into Mr. Ratburn's class she had handed him a note about her speaking situation that her mother had wrote, "Very good, I hope you feel better soon."

Sue Ellen had sat across from Buster and smiled at him.

"What?" Buster asked nervosuly.

She had said nothing.

Buster was now officially creped out, he raised his hand, "Mr. Ratburn, Sue Ellen is bothering me."

Mr. Ratburn just smiled and managed a chuckle, "How is she if she isn't talking to you?" He had also added, "Buster,I almost forgotyour report partner is now Sue Ellen."

Buster now was caught off guard as Sue Ellen continued to smile at him; she had decided to write something to Buster.

_I hope I can help._

Buster read the note, "…Oh you can alright."

Sue Ellen took back the sheet of paper and continued writing.

_Well, I hope it won't be a flop like your last report._

Buster was shocked, "My last report was good!" He had also added, "Don't play these mind games with me."

Sue Ellen got out another piece of paper she had a huge grin on her face.

_Well, I got an A on mine and you got a C-, what does that tell you? As for the mind games thing, I think you are a very special boy._

Buster was both shocked and confused, he yelled, "Special?" then asked her in some shock, "I am special?"

_Yes._

Mr. Ratburn walked up to Buster the expression on his face was far from amused, "Please keep your voice down; there are other students here who want to work on their reports but you are holding them back."

Buster's pitiful response to Mr. Ratburn's warning was, "But, Sue Ellen is bugging me…"

Mr. Ratburn looked at Sue Ellen as she smiled at him, "Is this true?"

_No._

Buster sighed, he wasn't the best student, he still wanted to know what she meant by him being 'special'.

To Be Continued.


	3. Chapter 3

Buster was panicking he seemed a bit stressed on what the cat girl meant by him being 'Special.' All what was running in his mind was 'She has a crush on me… Yet isn't talking.'

When the bell rang for recess Buster had ran into Prunella, "Watch it!" she replied as she was mildly annoyed at the accident prone rabbit boy.

Buster was distraught, "Prunella, I need your help, Sue Ellen uh… called me 'special'"

Prunella chuckled, "You are something…" and she just walked away to see Sue Ellen, "Sue Ellen, Buster thinks you have a crush on him."

Sue Ellen wasn't impressed, she wrote on a sheet of paper.

_No, not special like that, check the other definition of special._

Prunella laughed, "Oh, that definition of Special, Buster sure is that."

Buster came over with a puzzled expression on his face, "What?"

Prunella chuckled, "She has explained herself and you definitely are special."

Buster smiled, "I am special…"

"But you better ask some other people about it if you are or not…"

Buster ran outside into Binky and Rattles, all Binky said was, "Oh?"

Buster was on the defensive, "I am special; Sue Ellen and Prunella said I am!"

Rattles was heeled over laughing, "You sure are."

"What does it mean?"

"You are special," Binky replied, "No ifs, ands, or buts about it."

"This is because of Fern passing away?" Buster asked, "Sue Ellen showing some negativity because she lost her best friend?" Buster ran off and confronted Sue Ellen, "I am sorry."

Sue Ellen sighed and just walked to class to do some work she had enough of Buster's immature ways. She was collectively doing most of the work. When Fern was alive Buster madeher do most of the work.

When Buster walked in the power went out for about 30 seconds, "Wahh!"

Arthur sighed, it was apparent Buster had a ghost haunting him… the ghost of Fern that is. Buster sat down nervously as the power went back on.

* * *

That evening close to bedtime, it was thundering and lightning outside, Buster hid under the covers not really scared, just nervous.

Fern in her ghost form was in Busters room; Buster was struggling to sleep that night, everything in the room was painted a blood red somehow and it totally creped the poor rabbit boy out, he knew he had angered the ghost (or soul) of the late Fern Walters, and the spirit was out for revenge.

Buster could see the walls as a bloody color, it was ruining him mentally, and he couldn't really sleep. When he got up more strange things had happened, items in his room were moved, his shoes were at both ends of the house and his clothes were missing.

"Mom!" Buster yelled from his room, "I can't find my clothes."

Mrs. Baxter sighed, "Buster, your clothes are in your room."

Buster argued as he was annoyed, "_They_ are gone!"

Mrs. Baxter grumbled under her breath she went upstairs finding Buster in his pajamas, and she couldn't find his shirts and pairs of blue jeans, "I will look for them but in the meantime wear your jogging suit."

Buster had sighed, he had changed, and he went downstairs for breakfast, he had poured himself a glass of milk, as he poured it the milk was starting to turn chunky, "Bleh!" he yelled as the milk had turned bad instantly.

Buster decided to have some toast instead, he had put it in the toaster and waited, when it popped up it was a charred cinder. This had normally never happened before. Buster now decided on an apple, but when he opened the fridge he soon closed it, he wasn't going to risk it because if it was a ghost haunting him, the food he was eating was rotting on him, and a rotten apple definitely wasn't going to be a good start to the day.

He turned around and jumped in shock when he saw Mrs. Baxter, "Buster, you need some breakfast."

Buster's nervous response was, "But something is wrong."

Mrs. Baxter smiled at him, "Yea, you aren't eating anything," and she went into the fridge to fetch him an apple, "Now get to school or you will be late."

Buster gracefully took the apple and he did exactly what his mother told him, as he walked to school, he had felt that he was being followed however there was no one around to follow him, it was all his imagination. When he got to the school, he had decided to eat his apple. Big mistake it was rotting in his hand as he was walking. As he took a big bite out of the fruit it had offered little resistance it was squishy and brown in the inside, Buster was shocked and he accidentally swallowed it. Buster fell to his knees and he threw up moments later as everyone looked at him.

Binky was amazed, "Cool! That was almost better than Francine throwing up!"

Buster was heeled over breathing heavily almost in shock, "That wasn't cool!"

Binky couldn't understand the seriousness of the situation, "Sure it was, you ate some rotten fruit and threw up!"

That didn't stop there at lunch the more scary stuff started to happen, lunchtime Buster was sitting eating lunch as he had seen in his eyes the undead walking slowly towards him. However no one else could see them.

He had hissed and took the food off his tray and was trying to hit them. Everyone was looking at him with an odd look. When classmates tried to take the tray away from him he was trying to hit them with it. It had almost seemed that Buster went feral.

"Buster!" Arthur yelled as he tried to grab the tray.

Binky, the Brain and George tried to grab the tray from Buster as he was trying to hit them; he had managed to hit Arthur's hand with it.

"Owww!" Arthur yelled as he held his now sore hand, "What is wrong with you?"

"Get away!" Buster yelled.

The Brain and Binky managed to restrain Buster as he hit George this time. Buster was kicking and screaming as he saw undead trying to go after him; however his classmates hadn't. Buster managed to scratch Binky and the Brain.

* * *

Moments later Buster was in the principal's office being punished by Mr. Haney, "Buster what you did was…" Mr. Haney was searching for the right words, "Dangerous."

Buster was shaken by this whole experience, "Mr. Haney, I have been seeing dead people, dead people who want to take me away… all because of Fern."

Arthur and George were in the nurse's office across from Mr. Haney's office their hands were wrapped in ice.

Sue Ellen walked in she had seen a saddened expression on Arthur's face.

_What's wrong?_

"Buster…"

_He kinda lost it today didn't he?_

"He lost it today," George replied as he favored his hand nervously.

Sue Ellen sighed a little bit.

_I know he needs help, I want to help him but I can't really talk._

Mrs. Armstrong walking in, "Ok, Sue Ellen it is time for us to go to the doctors."

Within a few minutes they were at the doctor's office, in the examination room, she was sitting on the examination table. The doctor had checked everything and came to a conclusion, "There is nothing wrong with her, but it is strange that she has lost her vocal capacity."

Mrs. Armstrong sighed, "Will she ever talk again?"

The doctor's only response was, "Who knows, it is up to her…"

Mrs. Armstrong had sighed again as she and her daughter left the doctors office.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Mrs. Armstrong was driving by the cemetery and she decided to drop Sue Ellen off. Sue Ellen went to the gravestone and started to pray. As Mrs. Armstrong was reading a newspaper.

Sue Ellen opened her eyes and was in a field of flowers, Fern was there, Sue Ellen was distraught, "I need help."

Fern was sympathetic, "I know; I know you can't talk right now when in the real world."

Sue Ellen was a bit nervous but she had to ask it, "Have you thought of any plans to get back into the real world?"

"No."

A sad smile formed on her face, "I think I got a way."

Fern was nervous about the plan Sue Ellen had, "Don't do anything to hurt yourself."

Sue Ellen left through the portal, but before she actually did, "The next time you see me, you will be back in the living world."

As she left the black cloaked figure came, "Your next assignment will be her, what she plans to do will be an accident, and in addition you are going live for this one. She can see you before she dies."

Fern swallowed hard she had to choose between doing this and saving her beforeSue Ellendies.

* * *

Sue Ellen opened her eyes and walked back to the car. Her mother dropped her off back at school as Mrs. Baxter was pulling Buster by the ear out of the school and she was not impressed. "Buster you really done it this time."

"But…"

"I don't know what got into you."

"But…"

"Buster, you stepped over the line, I still don't know what got into you." His mother grumbled, "You are going to apologize to your friends tomorrow."

"I saw dead people," Buster whined.

Mrs. Baxter remembered Buster's clothes, she started to drive, "All your clothes have turned to girl's clothes, and I am not buying any new clothes."

As Mrs. Baxter was driving, Buster had seen the ghost of Fern walking across the street, it had looked like a real person that Buster grabbed the steering wheel and the car drove off the side of the road. The car stopped as Buster screamed, the ghost went towards Buster and went into his body.

Mrs. Baxter just drove him home and sent him to his room, Buster sat in his room he had went to the mirror.

"I am back…" Fern was in his body, she or he rather looked around nervously touching a plant… it didn't die, "Great!"

Fern was ecstatic to go to school tomorrow, but Buster wasn't.

The next day at school Buster went to school, he was wearing the jogging suit again as he didn't want to wear the girls clothes. To everyone it had seemed he was talking to himself.

"Buster, I am in your body now."

"Who is this?"

"Fern."

"Leave me alone!"

"We are going to see Sue Ellen."

"Oh no we aren't!"

"I can make your life a living hell now, do you want that?"

Buster shrieked, and walked towards Sue Ellen, "Sue Ellen, I have some terrible news, Fern's spirit is in my body."

She had walked away saying nothing, she figured it was a mean prank Buster was doing. He was always doing mean things to her.

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing."

Prunella noticed the goings on and walked towards Buster, "Meet me after school, bring Sue Ellen."

* * *

After school Buster (and Fern) as well as Sue Ellen who was reluctant to go with Buster anywhere was over at Prunellas. He was wearing a cloak, "Sue Ellen, Fern is trapped in Busters body, I am going to exercise him, it won't hurt him, but after that she'll disappear."

"…Fern…" Sue Ellen said to everyone's shock, she hadn't spoken in a week.

"Yea, it is me, I don't want you to risk your life to bring be back to the living world."

"But Buster…"

"I know I should be reaping right now but there are some problems, I can't keep up."

Sue Ellen sighed sadly, "Please come back…"

"I will… hopefully."

Sue Ellen covered her face and she started to cry. She missed her best friend, and had been traumatized by this whole ordeal.

Prunella processed to exercise Buster and within moments a flash of light came, Fern's ghost had left Buster's body and disappeared.

Sue Ellen was determined she wiped away her tears, "Do you have some rope?"

"Yea, in the garage," Prunella said as she led her down to the garage Sue Ellen found some, she had taken it and ran off to the dead woods by herself.

Sue Ellen was making a noose with the rope she tied a knot at a branchof a tree that she climbed to, and put the noose around her neck she slipped from the tree and was dangling in mid-air, she was starting to choke. 

In the land of the dead, the main reaper had said, "Now's your chance."

Fern wearing her grim reaper outfit walked through the portal, Sue Ellen was hanging from the tree the noose was choking the life out of the cat girl as she had seen Fern all in black, Fern paused, she had to make a decision, "Just a second," Fern raised her scythe and cut the rope with it, Sue Ellen landed with a thud onto the grass she was coughing heavily.

Death had appeared, "What did you do?"

"I am not going to take my best friends life!"

"Fine, you were a terrible grim reaper anyways," he had snapped his fingers, Ferns dark cloak had changed back to her normal clothes, he had calmed down, "You are getting a second chance in the living world, not too many people get that, now go take your friend to the hospital."

Fern looked at Sue Ellen; Fern managed a smile, she had done some mouth to mouth to revive the fallen cat girl.

Sue Ellen was coughing as Fern looked over her, "Fern!"

"Yes it's me, I am back, thanks," Fern replied happily.

"Y-you're not dead?"

"Check my pulse…"

Sue Ellen checked and Fern was very well alive, she had all vital signs.

"Won't your parents freak out that you uhh… resurrected?"

Fern sighed as Buster saw her, "Yahh!" the rabbit boy screamed and ran home crying.

Fern offered her explanation, "I haunted him, and I also did some bad things while I was in his body that I am not particularly proud of."

"Such as?"

"Well, now he is grounded for two weeks."

Sue Ellen suddenly passed out; it most likely had something to do with her hanging from the tree gone horribly wrong.

Fern called for help and she got some despite some questionable looks from people.

* * *

Sue Ellen woke up in a hospital bed; Fern was sitting by her side, "The doctor said you are going to be alright."

"What I did was so foolish…"

"I know, but you managed to bring me back to the other side,"

"How?"

"Death knew that you would die an accidental death, he wanted me to do the honors, so he sent me to do his bidding live, so I cut the rope with the scythe and managed to save you; however he wasn't too impressed, so he striped me of the soul collecting position and let me live in the living world, not too many people get that chance. He decided to spare your life as well."

They both just smiled as they sat their; Fern's parents were notified, shocked that Fern was alive. Buster on the other hand was still punished by Mrs. Baxter.

When Sue Ellen was released from hospital a day later, she and Fern walked down the halls of Lakewood, when Buster saw her he had ran down the hallway screaming in horror. It had only got worse when Buster was sitting with Fern, Sue Ellen and the Brain.

Buster just had an icy stare as he looked at them both; Mr. Ratburn had difficulty explaining why Fern was back. He hoped no one would ask questions why, but they did anyways.

The End.


End file.
